CROWNED | 2 Kings Chapter 12
- 2 days ago
- 5 min read
Week 7 / Day 33
Written by Rae Johnson
READ
Today we will be diving into 2 Kings 12. So, if you haven’t done so already, go ahead and read 2 Kings 12 and then come back here as we dive deeper into it together.
REFLECT
After all the rulers we have read about recently who have run far from the word of the Lord, it is so refreshing to read, “And Joash did what was right in the eyes of the Lord..”, here in verse 2. And it was because of this heart of obedience that Joash enjoyed a long 40-year reign marked mostly by favor and blessing, in great part thanks to the Godly advice coming from his advisor, the priest Jehoida. For as verse 3 tells us, Joash did what was right in the eyes of the Lord while Jehoida was living!
One key “objective” of Joash’s reign was to drive an initiative to repair the Temple of God in Jerusalem, even going so far as to collect the funds needed for the project. A lofty goal and God-honoring initiative. However, once that strong spiritual influence and voice of Jehoida was gone, Joash was not intentional to continue to seek out wise, Godly counsel and though he did advance the cause of the Lord, Joash fell short of total surrender and complete obedience by not tearing down the “high places”, allowing the people to continue to sacrifice and burn incense in ritual and ceremony that incorporated idol worship into their worship of God. He came at spiritual reform with a “good enough” approach. A mind that says “we are doing better than those before us, so let’s just leave good enough alone.” - A seemingly insignificant decision that will have incredibly significant repercussions, as you will see in the verses and chapters to follow.
For even right here in chapter 12, verse 17 & 18 tell us that when Hazael of Syria attacked Joash and his army, Joash did not seek the Lord for wisdom or trust the Lord for victory. Instead, in order to appease the opposing king, Joash gathered up all of the sacred items and treasures amassed by the former kings of Judah and gave them to Hazael.
Joash, a man whose life was bravely saved by the remnant of God for the mission of God, took the cowardly route, saving his life momentarily - an act which ultimately led to his assassination and loss of both life and throne!
Joash’s story is both beautiful and tragic! When his eyes were set on the Lord, we saw the beauty of God’s hand, but when Joash began to lead from his own wisdom, we saw the tragedy that befalls a life not lived devoted to Him.
The early years of Joash’s reign show us the truth that mentors are vital, but faith must be personal! If you remember, Joash became king at age SEVEN! That means he leaned heavily on the advice and wisdom of others, and he ruled well as long as he had the wise voice of the Godly priest Jehoiada guiding him. However, when his mentor died, Joash fell into bad habits and abandoned the Lord. Clearly, his dependence fell less on the voice of the Lord guiding his heart personally and more on the Godly mentor speaking into his life. And this pattern of dependence and trust in man rather than the Lord can be an easy pitfall to fall into; after all, a human hand is physical and a human voice is audible; however, we must never forget that it is GOD’s hand and voice that are powerful and infallible. We must be diligent to seek and hear His voice above all others! For we never know when the voice of a mentor will be taken away, but the voice of the Lord is faithfully there at all times and in all things.
Joash’s life and reign also teach us the importance of seeing a problem and addressing it - or, in other words, as the old saying goes, “see a need, fill a need.” The temple had fallen into ruin, and Joash could have easily said “Not my problem!”, leaving it for another king to mess with another day! There wasn’t an immediate need or call for repairs. However, Joash took action and created a plan to fund and restore it! He was a problem solver and, as the Lord reveals to us issues that need strengthening or repairing, we should do the same. For continued neglect of minor issues now, be that in our personal lives, our families, our communities, and beyond, only leads to greater destruction later.
And Joash’s life ultimately teaches us the importance of not only starting strong but finishing well! You see, despite his strong start, Joash’s reign ended poorly. He compromised his morals, paid off his enemies (using sacred items and holy treasure no less), and was eventually conspired against and assassinated by those seemingly closest to him. Even when life feels daunting, and the road feels difficult, we must cling to the hope in the words found in 2 Timothy 4:7:
“I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.” (NIV)
Our prayer must daily be:
“Lord, help me to fight the good fight. Give me the strength to stand for what is right and the energy to finish the race you have set before me. Keep my heart close to you and help me hold on to my faith, trust, and hope in YOU every single day of my life! For people come and go and seasons change, but YOU, Lord, remain the same.”
RESPOND
Whose voice has the greatest influence over your spiritual life right now? Is it the voice of a man, or the voice of the Lord? If the people who currently encourage your faith were suddenly no longer there, would your relationship with God remain strong, or have you unknowingly become more dependent on their faith than your own?
Where have you settled for “good enough” obedience? In the same way that Joash left the high places intact, is there an area of compromise you’ve allowed to remain because it seems small, manageable, or “better than it used to be”?
What “temple repairs” has God been prompting you to make? Is there a neglected area of your heart, your family, your relationships, or in some other area of your life that you’ve been hoping someone else will address? What would it look like to faithfully take the first step instead of waiting for the perfect time/timing?
If your life were evaluated not by how you started but by how you finish, what changes would you need to make today? What habits, priorities, or decisions will help ensure that your faith remains steadfast through every season, allowing you to one day say with confidence, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.”?
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